Friday, November 30, 2007

I thought this background from ALICE IN WONDERLAND had a decidedly Autumnal feel to it, as well as the strong influence of the brilliant Mary Blair. It's from the "A E I O U" song sequence. I hope you enjoy it!

This is the last day of November. I've been waiting for months for December 1st, so I could post Holiday related artwork. I've prepared lots of wonderful treats for good boys and girls. Be sure and check back tomorrow...

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

This re-created pan background is from the rather obscure Disney film "DONALD AND THE WHEEL."

To be absolutely precise, this is just the "Roman" section of an incredibly long pan B/G which takes us through several eras in history. The Egyptian section which precedes this is a hoot, I'll re-create it one day.

This was one of the B/Gs that took far longer than anticipated. Since Donald was flying across the landscape in a chariot with two horses, I could only grab small sections at a time. But it's a B/G worth a good look. The design is lean but very stylish.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

This blog pretty much always "stays the course" with its subject matter. However, the theatrical opening of ENCHANTED deserves, no, requires mention this weekend.

The Walt Disney Company has triumphed. The opening segment, in full-blown classic 2D animation is more than a joy, it is a masterpiece. It was created for Disney by former Disney animator James Baxter and his crew at James Baxter Animation. And it ranks among the best, most beautiful animation ever created.

Actually, the whole movie is a long-awaited return to the essence of what we've always loved about Disney: sweetness, humor, heart, imagination, dazzling visuals, irresistable music, and a happy ending!

And for those misanthropes who proclaimed 2D animation dead, I am happy to say you are completely and utterly clueless. At the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood (where I perform), I have watched the faces of guests light up with delight. There always was, and always will be something absolutely magical about drawings that move, these living illustrations with personality and feeling.

In this age of world-wide turmoil, how wonderful it is to spend a couple of hours with a movie that leaves you smiling, uplifted, and inspired.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Passion for animation art is an international phenomenon. Today I received an email from Rome, Italy! The writer was a very gracious gentleman named Andrea Giglio. Andrea sent several CINDERELLA backgrounds he digitally re-created to share with the guests visiting my blog.

Thank you Andrea! Sharing these is incredibly generous. The B/Gs are bella. Grazie!

Merlin makes a magical entrance in THE SWORD IN THE STONE through this doorway at Madam Mim's cottage. With the sparkly whirlwind, it's easy to miss the background within a BG, including a very spooky tree trunk reminiscent of the SNOW WHITE scary forest scene. Here, all the details appear together, unobstructed.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

From the JUNGLE BOOK scene where Mowgli searches for a better look at the little girl, here is the re-created pan background. Gorgeous! The lush tropical landscape is beautifully executed. Note: the three large leaves in the right foreground (which were effecively animated using the multiplane camera layers).